Every few weeks we have movie night at our house with our 8 year old DS. I have a shellfish allergy--recently diagnosed. I have had one ana reaction where I've used my epi, but I probably should have used my epi for my first reaction (I carry an epi for chamomile and epis for my son's peanut allergy). 75 mg of benadryl did the trick for that one. I eat out quite a bit for work out of necessity and family out of convenience, and I do have a good number of minor reactions--even to foods I've eaten before. I am careful, but there are all kinds of surprises, and I tend to react to the smallest things. I'm getting scared to eat at all.

Well, last night, we picked up a pizza at Pizza Hut and a movie. We do this, as I said, every few weeks--at the same place. DH picked up the pizza, and one of the pizzas was new to me: the new crust that has the cheesy edge that you pull apart. I do not like it, and it was spicy. I'm a class 2 for sesame but don't react yet (I don't eat overtly sesame things). The other pizza was one I'd had before. W/o my knowledge, DH also picked up some chicken wings. I wouldn't give them to DS, but he's a vegetarian, and he wouldn't be eating them anyway.

I had a couple of bites of the new pizza, a slice of pizza that I've had before, and some wings (2). I began to react and assumed it was the wings. I thought maybe they had been fried in oil that shellfish had (but I do think that would have been a worse reaction, as it has been in the past). Two of the Triaminic cough & cold strips (12 mg of diphenhydramine) did the trick.

Today for lunch I warmed up leftover pizza--one slice of the regular kind I'd had before and one slice of that other crust. And I reacted again. It wasn't bad. I have GI reactions, and I felt my esophagus and stomach react. It's a strange feeling that's difficult to describe. It kind of burns a little, but not like reflux or heartburn. It's like it's groaning. I felt spacy. So I took two of those Triaminic strips and I was fine.

I went to the Pizza Hut website, and both the wings (which I only had last night and not today) and the pizza sauce had a dot under shellfish, meaning a possbility for contamination, as it's made in a facility that also has shellfish in it.

I've had their pizza sauce many times without a reaction, but this time, I reacted. The only other possibility is that I'm now reacting to sesame, and the pizza contained sesame (and PH doesn't label for that).

As I had just posted in the Inhalant topic, the information on this site is amazing! I have always considered myself a good label-reader, but I had not looked at the "Allergen" information on the Pizza Hut site. I had looked only at the "ingredient" section because I was worried more about sulfites in the crust.

Wow! I actually have had a mild GI-only reaction the last couple of times we have gotten Pizza Hut. (We always get the cheese thin crust.) So glad you mentioned this.

It sounds like you are having a number of unexplained reactions---just in case you are reacting to something new I would keep a food diary noting your symptoms and what you ate that day. I've found this to be useful---even if things aren't clear at the time, in retrospect things make sense. A thought: could it be sesame? If you think you might be allergic but aren't sure it strikes me that sesame would be something you would not cook with yourself but wouldn't be overly cautious about when eating out....so that might explain why you react to food you haven't prepared yourself?

Pizza Hut changed their info from the last time I looked!!!!!! Good thing I'm not eating out anymore... cross-contamination seems to be their biggest issue , but that is to be expected from commercial kitchens...

It sounds like you are having a number of unexplained reactions---just in case you are reacting to something new I would keep a food diary noting your symptoms and what you ate that day. I've found this to be useful---even if things aren't clear at the time, in retrospect things make sense. A thought: could it be sesame? If you think you might be allergic but aren't sure it strikes me that sesame would be something you would not cook with yourself but wouldn't be overly cautious about when eating out....so that might explain why you react to food you haven't prepared yourself?

It is extremely difficult to find a restaurant that does not serve any shrimp whatsoever. In fact, I've only found one or two in our area. And I have to go out to eat more than that. We are very busy, and sometimes, we just have to go out to eat. But there are restaurants where I never have problems. And there are restaurants where I have one thing I can eat. And there are restaurants where I know I can't order anything off the grill because they cook shrimp on the grill every once in a while (even though most of the time they saute it). Or there is no chance for fajitas (a Texas staple--I live in Texas) or enchiladas because they also have shrimp versions. Most all restaurants do here.

So it could be sesame, but I do think many of these small reactions I've been having are from cross contamination.

My DS has had a peanut allergy for seven years, and it is WAY more difficult to deal with shellfish allergy in a restaurant, in my experience. It's much harder to eat out on the whole. We know how to order for him. The first time my DH was with me in a restaurant after my ana reaction and it took 20 minutes to order, it was an AHA moment for him. DS doesn't know what to think. The food allergy attention isn't just on him now. And that could be a good thing.

Yep, I'm of the opinion that shellfish/fish is definitely pretty hard to avoid. I'm having inhalant reactions in the last year, so most sit-down restaurants are out for me. Shrimp Fajitas served at our favorite Mexican restautant, Shrimp Scampi and Shrimp Alfredo at our favorite Italian place, and everything "Shrimp or Lobster" at our favorite steakhouse! I am still pretty safe with takeout from the Mexican place...I only get cheese Enchiladas, rice and beans. From talking with them there is little chance for cross-contamination with these items.

You might try ordering only salads and baked potatoes. I did this for many years when I was on an elimination diet for my GI allergies. Be very careful of any sandwiches you order if the restaurant also serves tuna fish; they will prepare your sandwich with the same gloves, and will cut your sandwich with the same knife. (I have this problem even when I order a plain meat-and-bread sandwich.) And many fries are cooked in the same oil as the fried shrimp and fish. (Wendy's and McDonald's cook their fries and hashbrowns in separate oil from their meats.)

I do have pretty good luck with plain hamburgers at Wendy's, McDonalds and Burger King. So far, these are my fast food staples. Taco Bell tacos and beans are also ok; I have not tried any of their other products...too many sauces I'm unsure about.

Chinese is the worst for cross-contamination. They cook multiple meats in the same wok, and many egg rolls contain shrimp. Also, someone in another post pointed out that many of the sauces contain fish paste.

Lastly, beware of anchovies in Worcestershire sauce. This is a common ingredient in many sauces and marinades (even Barbecue sauce) and baked beans.

McDonalds has a fish sandwich... it has been over 5 years since I steped into a McDonalds for a "safe" meal... after a reaction I am always a little bit more paranoid and one day decided to watch the McDonalds activities before and while they processed my order... ... I had them restart my plain hamburger 5 times before I walked out empty handed!!!! Wrong spatula, didn't change your gloves, put it next to the fish one being prepared at the same time... woups, that was sauce splashed over from the fish one!

I was going for the plain chicken and plain fries for a while... but gave that up too a couple of years ago after my fries smelled like fish but no one at the restaurant could figure out where that came from as they don't serve fish, so the fries should never smell like fish ... it's been 3 years since I ate restaurant food!!!! Too many woups, I'm not willing to risk my life every time I want to eat out anymore!!!!!!!

Thanks Lisa. Well, I've eaten sesame plain and roasted at home, and I've not reacted--and sufficiently large quantities [. . . .]
So it could be sesame, but I do think many of these small reactions I've been having are from cross contamination.

Yes, McDonald's does have lots of fish being served this time of year. I seem to be worse for shellfish than fish. And I'm sticking to hashbrowns for breakfast as my only McD's until after Easter. And I usually don't go in, especially during lunch or dinner; just go to the drive-thru. But this is just when I'm out and about. We usually try to save money and eat from home.

What else are you allergic to...I've seen several of your posts about avoiding the grocery stores? I am having to be very selective about where I shop with all the seafood markets in the stores now.

I avoid 99% of grocery stores because of open air fish and samples... having anaphylaxis to the smell of fish, I can't be picky and take risks anymore

As for my other allergies... well lets see: fish, shellfish and seafood too probably.. haven't redone the test in years, simply avoiding, milk, carrots, soy, kiwi, avocado, oral allergy syndrom to most fruits... and intolerances to onions, citrus and probably a couple more I can't think of right now.

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